Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote control system, an image processing apparatus, a remote control method, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with a remote control program. More specifically, the present invention relates to a remote control system that includes a remote operation device and an image processing apparatus remotely controlled by the remote operation device, the image processing apparatus, a remote control method performed by the image processing apparatus, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with a remote operation program.
Description of the Related Art
A technique for remotely operating an image processing apparatus represented by an Multi Function Peripheral (hereinafter referred to as an MFP) by a portable information device such as a smart phone and a tablet terminal has been known. It is possible to connect the portable information device to the MFP to remotely operate the MFP by the portable information device. In this case, the portable information device and the MFP are connected to each other by wireless communication. As a technique used in the case where this wireless communication is disconnected, an image processing apparatus that measures a distance from the portable terminal device, compares the distance with a first distance set in advance and a second distance set in advance and smaller than the first distance when the wireless communication with the portable terminal device is disconnected, displays an operation screen displayed in display means of the portable terminal device in the case where the distance from the portable terminal device is the second distance or less, displays a limited log-in screen in which only a user of the portable terminal device can log in the case where the distance exceeds the second distance and is the first distance or less, and displays a general log-in screen in the display means in the case where the distance exceeds the first distance, is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-60410, for example.
On the one hand, in the case where receiving connection requests for the remote operation from a plurality of portable information devices, the MFP is remotely operated by the portable information device, which has transmitted the connection request earliest, and sets the portable information devices, which have transmitted the connection requests later than the earliest transmission, in a waiting line. Therefore, the MFP is remotely operated by the plurality of portable information devices one by one in a chronological order of transmission of the connection requests. Specifically, after the wireless communication with the portable information device that is remotely operating ends, the MFP is remotely operated by the portable information device placed next in the waiting line.
However, there is a case where a plurality of application programs for remotely operating the MFP are executed in the portable information device. The user sometimes allows the portable information device to execute a second application program to remotely continuously operate the MFP after allowing the portable information device to execute a first application program to remotely operate the MFP. In this case, in the case where another portable information device is set in the waiting line at a time point at which the second application program is executed for the remote operation of the MFP, there is a problem that the user cannot continuously perform the operation since another portable information device is given priority to remotely operate the MFP.